Martha Angelone let it lay, and it really did pay tonight in the final round of the Hondo Rodeo Fest. In a thrilling Round 3 at Chase Field, the 2022 world champion and five-time NFBR qualifier sealed her second consecutive Hondo Rodeo Fest breakaway roping title. 

The breakaway roping at the Hondo was incredible to watch. Very few no-times, not one broken barrier, and several sub-two seconds runs. The ladies really were swinging for the fences in Chase Field. 

Round 3 delivered some of the fastest times of the weekend. Taylor Munsell was second out and immediately set the pace with a stunning 1.75-second run, putting pressure on the rest of the girls to go. helby Meged followed with a 1.79, marking the second sub-two-second run of the round, while Connor posted a 1.80, claiming third in the round and keeping the leaderboard unbelievably tight.

The 2024 Hondo breakaway roping champion, Martha Angelone led the average race coming into round 3, meaning she was last to rope in the finals. Matha opened the weekend with a 1.93-second and a Round 1 win. She placed in Round 2, staying consistent. She had watched all of the fast times before her in Round 3, and knew she couldn’t safety up. 

Martha reached, and her rope just missed falling over the nose of the calf. But at the very last hundredth of a second, the Rattler Spitfire fell over around the neck just as it was breaking from the saddle horn. Martha looked relieved, and even a bit surprised that the lucky loop fell on. Though tonight's run might not have been exactly textbook, it was still fast and secured her second consecutive Hondo title. 

After her  win, Martha Angelone reflected on how far she’s come in breakaway roping, a sport still rapidly growing at the professional level. “When I was younger I came from humble beginnings and I never thought we’d be here, especially in the breakaway,” she said with a smile. “I thought I was going to have to run barrels, so we are very blessed to be here.”

On social media, she shared, “We are blessed to walk away with a back-to-back win at the Hondo Rodeo. Nothing about it was pretty but it was effective, especially tonight when I hit my rope on the fence coming out,” she wrote.

The 2022 World Champion is always quick to give credit to her horse as well, “Jesse James and I won the first round and the average again this year. He was outstanding for me all weekend and I couldn’t have done it without him!”

Martha also teased about upcoming events, hinting at the Hondo Rodeo Fest’s newest announcement: “See you in April, New Orleans,” she posted, pointing toward the Hondos expansion and the addition of a new venue next spring.

Though a tough season has kept her out of the National Finals Breakaway Roping in Las Vegas this year, finishing 16th, just one hole out, this Arizona win shows that Angelone is far from finished. She has made 5 trips to the National Finals Breakaway Roping already, and she’s setting the tone for 2026, signaling again that on top is the only place she likes to be. 

Full Breakaway Roping Results

Round 1

1. Martha Angelone  1.93
2. Hali Williams 2.06
3. Cheyanne McCartney 2.2
4. Bradi Good 2.48
5. Kelsie Domer 2.91
6. Josie Conner, Taylor Munsell, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged NT

Round 2

1. Josie Conner 1.68
2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged 1.8
3. Taylor Munsell 2.09
4. Bradi Good 2.25
5. Martha Angelone 2.3
6. Cheyanne McCartney 2.83
7. Kelsie Domer, Hali Williams NT

Round 3

1. Taylor Munsell 1.75
2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged 1.79
3. Josie Connor 1.80
4. Hali Williams 2.01

Average 

1. Martha Angelone 6.62/3
2. Bradi Good 7.27/3
3. Josie Connor 3.48/2
4. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged 3.59/2